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A wildfire near Peachland, B.C., that has forced the evacuation of hundreds of properties in the Okanagan municipality has tripled in reported size.
The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) reported Friday morning that the fire around the Munro Lake Forest Service Road just west of Okanagan Lake is now burning over 2.2 square kilometres, up from 0.74 square kilometres on Thursday.
The service said strong southwest winds and sunny conditions are expected Friday, which could increase fire behaviour.
An evacuation order for 325 addresses remains in place, along with an evacuation alert for more than 1,100 properties — meaning residents there must be ready to leave at short notice.
The fire started on Thursday afternoon, according to the BCWS.
Peachland is a district municipality of about 5,000 people located around 20 kilometres southwest of Kelowna.
More than 40 personnel are working on the fire, according to BCWS, as well as air tankers and four helicopters.
On Thursday, Kirsten Jones, information officer with the regional district’s emergency operations centre, encouraged affected residents to subscribe to the district’s email notification list and register online for updates and access to support.
Evacuated residents who need assistance can go to the muster centre at the Peachland Community Centre for more resources, Jones said.
She also recommended that residents share verified information and check in on neighbours.
The fire is suspected to be human-caused, which is how any wildfire not sparked by lightning is categorized.